Mine-car lubricator.



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JOSEPH HENRY THOMAS, OF INDEPENDENCE, COLORADO.

MINE-CAR LUBRICATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn HENRY THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Independence, in the county of Teller and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in liline-(lar Lubricators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lubrication, and more especially to those devices for automatically lubricating the bearings of a caraxle; and the object of the same is to produce a device of this kind which can be thrown out of action or into action at will. This and other objects are accomplished by the construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of this device. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof.

Lubrieators of this kind are commonly employed in mines and at other places where the cars are of such nature that their axles are mounted in journal boxes which do not have lubricating cups, and it becomes desirable to oil or grease these bearings from time to time.

In the drawings the letter C designates the car or a truck thereof, in bearings B beneath which is mounted the axle A which carries wheels WV traveling on the rail R. The only alteration in the structure thus far described which I would make would be to leave one side of the bearing open as at 1. Between the rails I sink a casing 2 to contain a rather thick oil or grease, and in bearings 3 carried by the top of the casing I mount a shaft 5 having cranked ends 6 whereon are carried two brushes 7, preferably rotary brushes as shown, although the rotation of these brushes is not absolutely necessary. Secured to said shaft 5 is an arm 8 having a weight 9 at its outer end, and the top l of the casing is slotted at 10 for the passage of this shaft and further slotted at 11 for the movement of the brushes 7 and crank arm 6 as described below.

The arm 8 projects in a direction substantially at right angles to the length of the cranked ends 6 of the shaft 5 as best seen in Fig. 3, and when this arm is thrown over to the left until it rests on the edge of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 29, 1913.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

Serial No. 770,716.

casing the weight 9 will hold the parts in the position there shown and the brushes will rise above the casing to a suilicient height to be touched by the bearings B of the car 0 as the latter moves along the rails R. lVhen moving to the right in this view, some of the oil or grease will be wiped onto the bearings; but when moving to the left some of the oil or grease will enter the openings 1 in the bearings and be applied directly to the axle A, on which it will be spread by further rotation of the axle within its bearing.

lVhen it is desired to throw this device out of action, the user grasps the weight 9 and moves the arm 8 over to the position shown in dotted lines in F 8. During this action the brushes and crank arms pass downward through the slots 11 and the arm 8 passes downward through the intermediate slot 10 until it rests on the other side of the casing, and meanwhile the brushes pass down into the oil or grease with which they become saturated, ready for future use when the parts are restored to active position as first above described.

I do not wish to be limited to the materials or proportions of parts, nor to the use of rotary brushes, nor to the character of brushes if rotary brushes are employed.

If the crank shaft 5 is disposed beneath the cover 4t as seen in Fig. 8, it may be well to have the arm 8 start first straight upward from the shaft as shown at 3 and then bent at right angles to the cranks 6 in order that when the brushes are in working position the arm 8 will overlie the cover plate closely as seen in this view.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. In a car axle lubricator, the combina tion with a casing sunk in the ground between the rails, and a top for said. casing having three slots; of a shaft mounted for oscillation within the casing and having cranked ends, brushes carried by said ends and adapted to contact with the car-bearings when said ends and brushes are raised through two of the slots in the cover, and an arm projecting from said shaft through the remaining slot of the cover.

2. In a car axle lubricator, the combination with a casing sunk in the ground be tween the rails, and a top for said casing having three slots; of a shaft mounted for oscillation within the casing and having cranked ends, brushes carried by said ends In testimony whereof I have here into set my hand in presence of two subscriblng wit- 10 nesses.

and adapted to Contact with the car-bearings when said ends and brushes are raised through two of the slots in the cover, an arm rising from the shaft parallel with said 1 cranks and then bent at right angles thereto, and a Weight at the other end of said arm, I the latter adapted to be moved through the intermediate slot in the cover. 1

JOSEPH HENRY THOMAS.

Witnesses:

@- H. CO WELL, THOS. W. KELLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

